The embodiments described herein relate generally to the transmission of utility data via a utility network and, more particularly, methods and systems for transmitting utility data and digital voice signals using a single utility network.
At least some known communication systems provide wireless network access to data using a centralized configuration device. For example, in some known systems network access data and/or network security data is communicated wirelessly to a communications device via the configuration device. The communication device is then permitted to access a first portion of data stored on the network based on the network access data and a second portion of the data stored on the network based on network security data.
Moreover, at least some known communication systems provide users with automatic handoff operations while roaming between network terminals. For example, in some known systems a mobile terminal requests a support node of a legacy wireless network. The legacy wireless network authenticates the mobile terminal and, if the mobile terminal is authenticated, the requested support node facilitates communication between the mobile terminal and other devices on the legacy wireless network. At some point, the mobile terminal may request a support node on a different wireless network that uses a different network configuration. The mobile terminal is authenticated by the new wireless network and, if authenticated, communication by the mobile terminal is enabled across the new wireless network and the connection to the legacy wireless network is dropped. Other known systems enable a mobile terminal to automatically switch between, for example, a private wireless communication network to a public wireless communication network.
Furthermore, at least some known communication systems facilitate registering a mobile device, such as a cellular phone, with a network. For example, in some known systems a plurality of mobile devices may be distributed by a wireless network provider, wherein each mobile device includes provisioning data for use in activating the mobile device on the network. Each mobile device uses the provisioning data during, for example, power-up, to gain communication access and to enter into a provisioning data session with a provisioning server.
However, such known systems do not enable the combination of voice and data signals. Accordingly, systems and/or methods that provide a secure communication signal to a network are desirable, wherein the communication signal is generated by combining a voice signal and a data signal using a centralized controller.